Automatic door opening and closing device for elevators.



W. M. CUTTER. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR. ELEVATORS.

APPLIOATION FILED DEC. 14, 1912. 1,092,633, Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0..\VASHINGTON, D c.

W. M. CUTTER. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.14, 1912.

Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

AlTCIRNEY W. M. CUTTER. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

4 1 9 1 Z M A m m m 2 1 9 1 4 1 0 E D D E L I I N 0 I T A 0 I L P P A 3 3 6 2 9 9 1 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A w a I. k l K 0 W J/ fr K A WITNESSES:

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. M. CUTTER. AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS. APPLICATION FILED DEG.14, 1912.

1 ,092,633 Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WWWl IMMA/WQ VITNESS ES:

i I INVE TOR WW 157 %W5% W BY 1.76am i %Anonum COLUMYHIA PLANDGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D c.

if relic AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE FOR ELEVATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. "2, 1914.

Application filed. December 14, 1912. Serial No. 736,784.

b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WVILLIAM M. CUTTER, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Door Opening and Closing Devices for Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an automatic door opening and closing device for elevators.

The object of this invention is to construct a simple, practical and absolutely reliable automatic device which will open and close the doors in the elevator shaft, said device being connected and positioned with relation to the doors so as to be controlled by the upward and downward movement of the elevator cage.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide means for retracting the actuating means on the cage when it is desired to pass one or more floors without opening the doors.

A further object of the invention is to generally improve this class of apparatus so as to reduce the responsibility'of the operator and increase the general comfort, convenience and safety of the public.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction and combination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accom panying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the elevator shaft showing the elevator cage and door-actuating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one of the door-actuating weights and connected means by which the weight is lifted from one position to another. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross section of the elevator shaft, cage and door. Fig. 5 is a front view showing the application of the invention to a vertically operated slid ing door. Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing the position assumed by the trip carriage which will allow the actuating mechanism on the cage to become disengaged from the weight lifting projection. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of the gate latching mechanism.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, A indicates in general, the elevator cage; B the guide tracks in the elevator shaft, and C the opening communicating with a certain floor in the building, as indicated at D, which opening is normally closed in the usual manner by a sliding door 2, suitably hung on a superposed track 3, and adapted to be reciprocated from one side of the door frame to the other to open and close the door.

The particular object of this invention is to provide a door as here shown, which will be automatically opened and closed by the movement of the cage in theshaft. Withthis object in view, I have shown the door 2 connected by flexible cableswith a pair of weight members 4 and 5 slidably mounted in the guides or pockets 6, one on each side of the door frame. The weight members are so connected and positioned with relation to each other and the sliding door that the weight 5 will be in the lower position shown in Fig. 1 when the door is closed, while the opposite weight 4 will be in the raised position, the raising or lowering of the weights 4 causing the door to be opened or closed, whichever the case may. be.

For the purpose of raising and lowering the weights in their respective pockets in order to open or close the door, I have shown the weight members as being provided with forked extensions 7 in which are pivotally mounted trip carriages 8, which in turn are provided with projecting lugs 9. The lugs 9 are so positioned with relation to the elevator cage as to project into the path of same and will become engageable with an actuating mechanism mounted on the ca e which will later be described. The trip carriages 8 are provided with rollers 10 so positioned as to engage with a track portion 11. The track portion 11 is shown as provided with breaks or pockets 12 and 13, so positioned with relation to the two positions assumed by the weight in its upward and downward movement as to cause the trip carriage to register with same and allow the trip carriage to be rocked into the pocket, as shown in the side elevation of Fig. 6, which will allow the actuating mechanism of the cage to become disengaged from the weight lifting projection.

The actuating mechanism mounted upon the elevator cage proper consists of a pair of spring projected sliding members 14 and 15, positioned at different elevations on the car or cage; the lower one, as 14, being positioned on the side of the cage which will bring it into engagement with the weight lifting projection 9 on the weight 4, and the projection 15 being positioned at a higher elevation and on the opposite side of the car where it will register with the weight lifting projection on the weight 5. The spring actuated projections 14 and 15 are slidably mounted in suitable frames as at 16, and are normally projected outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, by springs 17. The springs 17 are so positioned as to exert their pressure between the stationary bearing members 18 and the shoulders 19 on the sliding members. For the purpose of retracting these members 1 1 and 15 when it is desired to pass one or more floors without opening the doors, I have provided a shaft 20 suitably journaled, as at 21, under the floor portion of the cage. Mounted upon each end of this shaft are segmental members or pulleys 22 and 23 to which each projector or sliding member 14: or 15 is connected by flexible cables2 l; the cables being con-- nected at one end to the sliding member, as at 25, and the other end being secured to the segmental member, as at 26. The cables are suitably guided by passing over guide pulleys 27 as shown. The shaft 20 is-also provided with a crank arm 28, having a projecting pin 29 engageable with a forked reciprocal member 30 projecting through the bot-tom of the car or cage and so positioned as to register with the pin 29. The upper end of the forked member is guided, as at 31, and is provided with a foot bracket or extension 32 by which the forked member may be depressed at any time by the foot of the operator. The depression of the forked member 30 will cause the crank arm to rock the shaft 20 and consequently partly revolve the segmental members 22 and 23 so as to retract the sliding members 14 and 15. However, they will become automatically projected and will assume their normal posi tion, as shown in Fig. 2, as soon as the foot lever is released, by the pressure of the springs 17.

The operation of the device will be as follows: By referring to Fig. 1, we will assume that the cage, indicated at A, is being lifted by a suitable mechanism, not here shown, in the direction of arrow at. The cage will continue on its upward movement until the projection 15 on the cage registers with the Weight lifting projection 9 on the weight 5. A continued upward movement of the cage will cause the projection 15 to carry the weight upwardly until the pocket 12 is reached, which will allow the trip carriage 8 to enter and release the projection 15. The movement of the weight from its lower position to the upper position will cause the corresponding weight on the opposite side to pull the door into an open position and will hold it there until the elevator again assumes its upward or downward movement, whichever the case may be. The moment the door is completely opened, the floor of the elevator cage will register with the floor, indicated at D, and the car may be stopped to allow the passengers to leave or enter the car, as desired. If the car is now started and continued on its upward movement, it will become necessary to close the door 2. The closing of the door 2 is effected by the continued upwardmovement of the car and is accomplished by the projection 14 coming into engagement with the lifting projection 9 on the weight 4; which was lowered into its lower position by the raising of the weight on the opposite side in opening the door. The upward movement of the car will thus bring the two projections 14: and 9 into engagement and will lift the weight '4: into its upper normal position, as shown in Fig. 1; the projection 14 being released from engagement with thelifting projection 9 by the position assumed by same when the trip carriage enters the upper pocket or break in the track, as shown at 12. .A more detailed description and explanation of same will be had byreferrin to Figs. 3 and 6.

By referring to Fig. 3, it can be seen that the moment any projection comes into registration with the pivoted projection 9 on the weight member, the weight and connected mechanism will be lifted until the roller 10 on the trip carriage 8 comes into register with the break or pocket 12; the pressure on the outer end of the projection 9 causing thetrip carriage to rock, as shown in Fig. 6, which will allow the projection on the cage to become disengaged and continue in its upwardtravel. riages 8 on both of the Weight members 4 and 5 are also shown as provided with.

springs l and 5 which return the trip carriages into normal projected position the moment one of the projections 14: or 15 has passed.

For thepurpose of securing the gate or door in its closed position and prevent it from being opened from any other place except the shaft side of the elevator, I have provided the door-with a suitable latching .mechanism,generally indicated at 33. This is provided with a crank arm 34 having a projection 35 so positioned as to become engageable with a projection or track portion 36 on the car. The upward movement of the cagewillbring a cam portion 37, of the track 36, into engagement with the projection 35 on the crank arm-3t and will rock this in such a position as to bring a latch member 38 out of engagement with a pin 39 on the door, thus releasing the gate or door from its locked position where it may be opened by the sliding of the weights actuated by the projections 1 and 15 on the car, as before described.

Assuming the car to be coming down from the top floor ofthe building anddescending The trip car into position or register with the openings C, indicated in Fig. 1, it can then be seen that the projection 1a on the cage will first register with the projection 9 on the weight 4 and force the weight into the lower position in the pocket 6 and cause the corresponding weight to be lifted into the upper position; the shifting of the weights by the downward movement of the elevator causing the door to be moved into the open position, the door assuming the complete open position when the two floors register. The continued downward movement of the car will cause the projecting member on the car to come into engagement with the member 9 on the weight 5, which is now in its upper position, and will force this weight into its lower normal position and raise the opposite weight, thus closing the door; the door being locked in this position by the latch 38 which is antomatically thrown into closed position by the spring 40. It can also be seen that it is possible for the car to pass one or several floors without opening any of the gates by simply retracting the projections 1e and 15, as previously described.

The elevator cage is also shown as provided wit-h an extension 42, provided for the purpose of partly closing the door opening when the cage is moving into or out of register with the opening and while the door is being either closed or opened, thus eliminating any danger of a person stepping through the gate opening while the gate is being opened or closed before the cage is brought into register with the opening.

Referring to Fig. 5, I have shown the application of the invention to a pair of vertical sliding gates 48 and 44:. These gates are connected together by a pair of lazy tong arms which are adapted to draw the lower gate 44 up over the gate 43 during the time both of the gates are being lifted. The gates are counterweighted in each instance by weights 4:5 and 46 slidable in a pocket 4:7. One of the weights is shown as provided with a lifting mechanism or projection 9, similar to that previously described, which is so positioned as to become engageable with a projection on the car, wlnch will either raise or lower the weight and correspondingly raise or lower the gates, whichever the case may be. In this instance the weight is shown in its upper normal position with the gates closed. The upward movement of the cage or car in this instance will cause one of the projections on the car to become engageable with the lifting mechanism 9, mounted on the gate 44, and will lift the gates into open position, causing the weight a5 to assume the lower position which will become operable, when raised into its normal position as shown, to close the gates. Upon the downward movement of the car, the projection 9 on the weight becomes engageable to open the gate, while the projection 9 on the gate 4A will become operable to close the gate, etc.

When using vertically operated gates, as 43 and 44, it is desirable to prevent the gates from accidentally falling into their lower position by the breaking of the cable connecting the weights and gates. To prevent this I have shown the gate as provided with a clutch arm 4-.8 pivoted, as at 49, to the gate; the opposite end of the arm being connected with the cable on one side and with a spring 50 on the opposite side which will. tend to rock the clutch arm 4L8 so as to bring it into engagement with the guide portion or track and prevent the gate from accidentally falling if the supporting cable should break.

The mechanism is simple and compact in construction and prompt and reliable in its actions and takes no more space than the ordinary mechanism. The materials and finish of the several parts of the elevator may be such as experience and judgment of the manufacturer may dictate.

I wish it understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that I do not wish to limit myself to the specific design and construction here shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with an elevator car and an elevator shaft, of a sliding door, a pair of weights slidably mounted in guide ways on each side of the door frame, flexible means connecting the weights with the door, pivoted lifting projections mounted on the front of said weights, actuating means on the car which is so positioned as to become engageable with the lifting projections on the weights during the movement of the car to move the weights from one position to another, and means for retracting the weight actuating mechanism on the car, said means comprising a shaft, flexible connections between the shaft and the weight actuating mechanism, and a crank extending within the elevator car for partially rotating said shaft.

2. The combination with an elevator car and an elevator shaft, of a sliding door, a pair of weights slidably mounted in guideways located one on each side of the door frame, flexible means connecting the weights with the door, tracks secured in front of said guideways, pivoted member mounted on the weights, guide rollers on said members adapted to travel on the tracks, lugs projecting into the path of the elevator, mounted on said pivoted members, said tracks being provided with means for allowing the pivoted members to rock so as to retract the projecting lugs, actuating means shaft, and means for on the car which are so positioned as to become engageable with said projections dur ing the movement of the car, and means for retracting said actuating means, said last mentioned means comprising a shaft, a flexible cable connected with the actuating means on the car and adapted to be wound on the partially rotating the shaft to Wind the cable.

The combination With an elevator car and an elevator shaft, of a sliding door, guideways on each side of the door, a weight slidably mounted in each guideway, flexible means connecting the weights with the door, tracks secured on the inner face of said guideways, a bifurcated bearing carried by the weight, pivoted lifting projections mounted in said bearing, guide carriages secured to said projections, rollers journaled in said carriages adapted to ride on the tracks, said tracks being provided with pockets into Which the carriages may partly enter to rock the lifting projections, springprojected lugs on the car which are so positioned as to become engageable with the lifting projections on the weights during the movement of the car to move the Weights from one position to another, and means for retracting said spring-projected lugs, said means comprising a shaft, means connecting the shaft with the Weight actuating mechanism, a crank on the shaft, and a rod projecting into the car and having a sliding connection with said crank.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM M. CUTTER.

Witnesses: 7

G. H. STRONG, WV. WY HEALEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. r 

